The Hindu marriage season for 2008 in North India started on July 9 and the day saw thousands of weddings in North India. Hindus who strictly follow the Muhurat or Astrology or the words of family Jyothish were not conducting weddings for the past three months as it was considered inauspicious. The present cycle of ‘shubh samay’ which started on July 9, 2008 will last till the end of September 2008. After this cycle, the next highly auspicious day for marriage is on November 10, the Tulsi Vivah day.

The reason for the three auspicious months that just passed away was due to shukra hast, which means that planet or graha shukra was at zero degree in astrological calculations. In Hindu astrology, Shukra graha brings fortune and happiness.

Now, for next three months there will be several weddings and griha pravesh (housewarming ceremonies) as almost all days until the end of September are being considered shubh tithes in North India.

Interestingly, in South India the opposite is happening. The Aadi month begins on July 16 and no auspicious activities are held in this month as it is the first month during the Dakshinayana Punnyakalam – the nighttime of Devas. Again in Kerala, the Karkidakam month (Ramayana Masam) begins on July and no weddings are usually held in this month.